Condom broke during oral sex

May 27, 2011

Dear Dr Frascino,

I received protected oral sex only from a sex worker and found the condom leaking after the act. She claims she tested negative for hiv and std's just a couple of days before our encounter. I'm worried, and I'm wondering if I should take a hiv test 3 months after the encounter. Thanks for answering my question and for caring.

Worried dude

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello Worried Dude.

Insertive oral sex, even without latex protection, carries only a very low risk for acquiring HIV. However, there are a number of other STDs that are much more readily transmissible via oral sex. You report you "found the condom leaking." Unfortunately from that description I can't determine how significantly the condom failed, but we can at least determine that it was not entirely intact. Consequently there is at least a theoretical risk you could have been exposed to and/or acquired an STD. I would recommend routine STD screening plus a single HIV-antibody test at the three-month mark. The statistical odds are all in your favor that you did not acquire HIV (or other STDs) from this episode. Testing should provide psychological peace of mind an put an end to your worrying. Then instead of being "worried dude" you'll just be "dude" or maybe "WOO-HOO-ing dude," both of which are way cooler than "worried dude".

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